Each year, countless marine animals and sea birds are endangered by the flow of trash into our oceans. The fact is, Sea turtles are entangled and choked by plastic and discarded nets. Whales mistake trash bags for food and perish. And, let’s not forget the harmful impact contaminated marine environments have on human beings. Plastic also attracts and concentrates other pollutants from surrounding seawater, posing a contamination risk to those species that then eat it. Scientists are studying the impacts of that contamination on fish and shellfish.
From plankton to whales, animals across ocean ecosystems have been contaminated by plastic. Plastic has been found in 59% of sea birds like albatross and pelicans, in 100% of sea turtle species, and more than 25% of fish sampled from seafood markets around the world.
Marine debris isn’t an ocean problem—it’s a people problem. That means people are the solution. Ocean Conservancy is committed to keeping our beaches and ocean trash free. For more than 30 years we have organized the International Coastal Cleanup, where nearly 12 million volunteers from 153 countries have worked together to collect more than 220 million pounds of trash. And we’re not the only ones who care about ocean trash: Every day, all over the world, concerned people take the problem into their own hands by cleaning up their local waterways.
Tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean begins on land. Reduction in plastics use, especially of single-use disposable products, and the collection and recycling of plastics in developing countries can help to reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters the ocean.
At our International Coastal Cleanups, volunteers have picked up more than half a million straws and stirrers, making straws one of the top ten items on our annual list. Straws pose a real danger to animals like sea turtles, albatross and fish who can eat them. Take action today: #SKIPtheSTRAW !
Add your voice to the sea of people taking a stand for the ocean. Sign the pledge now and when offered a straw, simply say ‘no thanks.’
We can’t afford to trash our planet – so let’s do something about it.
Trash Travels – even if you do not live near the ocean, you can take action in your community to make sure litter does not end up in our waters.
Please Teach your kids to recycle properly … Save our Planet
Word of the day is all about the act of observation …and a rant
I have to ask everyone who is taking the time to read this —at what point will the various cable and main stream stations do the right thing and stick to the truth instead of skewing it to make the current government look sane -stop trying to sway voters and report the news…This stuff is NOT normal
After days and weeks of offensive down right discriminatory comments coming from Politicians already in office, folks running for office, even some pundits are riding on the edge of truth but the reality is – this kind of rhetoric, this fear mongering could quite possibly put our democracy at risk.
The only solution is to End the #trumpTrifecta yes, midterm2018matters
Compare and Contrast all the things that the Obama2010admin as well as Congress managed to achieve despite the Republican Tea Party.
Observe and analyze who what when and why things have not improved as some out there on the left want and then remind them what people said … that a President that goes too far left of center is not representing all Americans. The truth is most people “most” used to be moderate and expect the President to be not just moderate but bipartisan; until Obama! And while folks on the right said one thing and did another on the floor of congress and btw this is standard republican behavior no matter who is in office, it makes you wonder if taking a hard left is the only way to solve and get the People’s Business done and back on track.
Then reality comes back and we have to remember the Democratic Party is made up of a huge tent with various degrees of democratic ideology and going or taking that hard left was not only a mission impossible but possibly no one was or is ready for. The 2010-2013 Republican Tea Party were united no matter what their colleagues said or did, the Democratic party on the other hand seem to fight to get good legislation on the floor of the Senate ,debate it to make progress in the move toward the 21st Century living. We all know our ability to move forward is being held hostage by the Republican Party having turned full out trumpNation until they can ruin our recovering economy of all “it’s Obama” stamp. I hope my worry is your worry, that we will have no place to go or anyone to help if in fact we fall into a deep recession … again!
I have to say my Observation of “the Media” … is not just giving Republicans more airtime but seemingly those folks know who is buttering their paychecks so the fair and balanced slogan when describing the news is just a joke now.
We must remember what happened in 2008! Yes, Congress goes through change, but the era of trump is at hand. Now, more than ever we need main stream media to provide on a daily basis information on the failure of the house of bush, the deficit he left and finding out that Wall Street, Oil and the Banks as well as AIG made bets not only with the people’s money but against us – you would think some would understand that after years of corruption it might take years to make all the corrections given the fact that some parts needed to make the fix are being held hostage by Republicans. I am no expert but people need to compare their own budgets to what happened in 2008 then estimate your recovery time… and realize any correction will take a long time especially since folks on the right were able to downsize/block or stall most of the financial fixes in the Senate. So, voters need to take a real look at the spending that team trump is engaged in and call him out.
The Democratic Party needs to get our arses out to vote.
Mitdterm2018 is a pivotal moment and if we really want change; Not Autocratic change, we need to urge all protected classes to make sure they vote. It has become apparent that some folks do not understand why the process of change cannot and should NOT be done by only the POTUS but Congress in both Chambers as separate branches of our government needs to do the work of the people. While it is obvious, the House is definitely representing $$$$ the Senate faces obstacles and the only solution is getting truer Dems on the floor of the Senate. We must make sure our Nation is NOT sliding into an autocratic nation to which some of trump supporters have expressed as a good change? Come on!?
President Obama did the best he could with what the last admin left him and again it took a long time to get to an improved 2017 but it seems team trump has not only stripped away the Obama legacy it has hurt Americans in ways that probably won’t be fully felt until 2019. We are witnessing those on the right who choose to provoke trump fear; lately that has turned into action by those feeling certain TV or radio personalities were giving them subliminal instructions to act against those who support the Democratic Party ,Muslims, Black and Brown folks and Jews. That has got to stop; it would be even better if “the Media” would stop giving folks on the right passes when they make outrageous, racist, xenophobic exclusionary comments…we hear it from Fox News but now cable stations, depending on the day or hour seem to take a hard right and has this viewer wondering where the money is coming from, supporting the more extreme view on our airwaves? But then again Sinclair Broadcasting is another animal doing its best to alter the facts and reality of our daily lives. What we are seeing by some reporters, pundits, and talking heads are of engaging in the dance of “News manipulation” which is a sad representation of what real journalists, reporters and commentators used to be … What hashtag #FreePress means and meant to our founding fathers …lol
If you are trying to figure out exactly how we got into this mess? Remember that once fabulous video “House of Cards” by David Faber…on CNBC… but I don’t believe it’s still available
Today, 750 million people in the world live without access to clean water. Now, they say 663 million live with access to clean water and 2.4 billion live without improved sanitation. We all have to know one without the other equals illness disease and death. This crisis disproportionately affects women, who walk a combined 200 million hours a day to collect water for their families. Stella Artois is supporting Water.org to help solve the global water crisis. Learn how you can help at http://BuyALadyADrink.com
Now, in the year 2017, they say 663 million live with access to clean water and 2.4 billion live without improved sanitation. We all have to know one without the other equals illness disease and death.
The Mumbai Wall Project began with a blank white compound wall, with an intense burning of “something has to be done to it” It starting with a few enthusiastic people, it has grown to be a bigger and bigger project seemingly taking a life of its own.
It was an initiative to add visual elements of colour, form and texture to a space, to make the area more alive and generate a feeling among people who pass by it daily. Not knowing how people would react, the first onlookers came out slowly and curious to see what was happening and then slowly people and even young kids came out to help and play their part.
Dhanya Pilo, Art Director and Founder of The Wall Project, notes: “Wall art has always existed in India on temple walls, village houses or old Bollywood art, creating a personality unique to each township.” Since public art has always existed, a creative platform of this kind was the logical next step.
The Wall Project have painted in many many nooks and corners of Mumbai. Bandra is the best location – as the best way to see all the wall art you need to cycle/walk around and you will find art work all over Bandra. More recently the wall project, got permission from the city to beautify the North –South roads in Mumbai as a canvas with everything being an inspiration, art, music, nature, love, the abstract, real life and the city itself. (This road is a huge landmark) Everything is acceptable apart from adverts, religious views, political slogans, and foul language. The premise that a work of art can make a colorful difference in the lives of individuals, communities, and cities, The Founders believe that grey, ugly spaces deserve beautification.
Everybody is welcome, not just artists, and they are always looking for permission and interesting locations to paint.
They have worked with a lot of people, shop owners, hospitals, NGO’s and the Alliance Francaise, Kaos Pilot, and are being invited by more people to showcase their ideas/skills. In January ‘08 they collaborated with Fine Art students of Rachana Sansad, Mumbai and painted shops as well as some other walls.
Over the years a lot of talented Graffiti artist from all over the world have come to paint, from Swedish writer Finsta to French writers Dezer, Keflione, Migwel, Rock, Posh, Seth, Boogie & Kid etc have all come and left their designs/marks/stories in the streets of Mumbai giving locals something to smile about.
Regarding, “The Great Wall of Mumbai” – on the Tulsi Pipe Road – They had been eyeing that wall for so so long. They had painted on walls of private homes, shops, schools, etc and they wanted to paint on major public spaces but thought that the process of getting permission would be too daunting and bureaucratic. They were completely surprised when R A Rajeev, Additional Municipal Commissioner, BMC approached them. He gave them complete creative control, it was a dream come true. Around four hundred people of all ages came to help. Some were not artists, some were not. It was about being inclusive and including the local population and the turnout was great.
The Mumbai Wall Projectis bringing the streets to life, in a positive and colourful way with more than 300+ pieces all over Mumbai.
If you want to keep in loop join The Wall Project Facebook Group, they posting most information there, and you can let them know if there are any specific ways you want to be part of the group. They say even dormant members will eventually get colourful, and out of their cocoon.
“This process allows one to be more observant about the spaces we use and move within and how we can use various art forms in the public sphere to generate an interest in the minds of our daily human lives. The wall project in its own way tries to start a conversation, with no political or religious attachments.” – Dhanya Pilo & Nitya Amarnath
As you may or may not be aware, I don’t feel that Carbon Dioxide is the the villain at the centre of the world’s problems . I personally believe that is a convenience for Governments to generate revenue amongst other things, a distraction from other more important matters. What I do believe, is that we are extremely wasteful of dwindling resources and are polluting our planet at an alarming rate… More kids are suffering with asthma that ever before. More people have respiratory illnesses than ever before. We are killing ourselves and the planet with pollution and waste in a thousand different ways.
• The levels of toxic diesel fumes inside school buses are 4 times higher compared with outside the buses.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 2 million premature deaths are caused each year due to air pollution in cities across the world
• A Scottish study has shown that jogging with traffic around results in reduced blood flow to the heart. This is particularly dangerous for people with stable heart disease, because it can trigger off cardiac arrhythmia or even a heart attack
• Every year 335,000 Americans die of lung cancer, which is a direct result of air pollution
And we are not talking CO2 pollution here, just all the other nasties that get pumped into our atmosphere for us to breath.
The Fuel Film… Educational, Informative and surprisingly entertaining
The Big question from sceptics is: … That crops for bio-fuel takes away the ability of the world to feed it’s growing population, this is answered in a couple of ways in the film.
One solution of several is in using marginal land, another is algae
For those that don’t know: Marginal land is land that is difficult to cultivate and is not being used for food crops. This land could be used to grow biomass crops to be used for bio-fuels. California has apparently 1 million acres of marginal land that could generate 5 billion gallons of bio-fuels per year.
Now, while not 100% convinced that it is possible to ‘grow’ all our fuel requirements, it nice to know that there are alternative possibilities and people willing to fight to get them heard.
All it needs now is the desire from Government and vested interests to make it happen… Having said all that what is happening in the Gulf is a wake-up call for the world….
But is anybody listening? Because as sure as death and taxes we are not going to give up our love affair with the car easily
Kenaf, should be the fibre crop of the 21st century, and hopefully explode into the market place for industrial products made from sustainable natural materials. Several multinational companies already use kenaf fibre in small, but growing quantities, in newly-marketed green products such as the Toyota Lexus and NEC mobile phones to replace environmentally-damaging materials.
Crucially, the green tag attached to kenaf is gaining more importance as people, companies and governments realize that the kenaf crop removes substantial amounts of CO2 and NO2 from the atmosphere and three to five times faster than forests with its deep roots improving the soil. Trees take many years to reach a harvestable size, however kenaf grown as an annual crop will reach a mature size in just 120 to 150 days after the seeds are sown, producing the largest biomass of any agricultural crop – far more than trees.
It can clean the environment efficiently and in some Japanese cities, kenaf is planted by the Government to improve the air quality. Kenaf will also greatly reduce our reliance on wood pulp and petroleum-based products. From construction board and concrete to plastic composites for mobile phones, from paper and light-weight, high-strength surfaces in aircraft to non woven industrial fabrics, from newspaper to absorbents for the oil industry. Commerce is waiting for the sustainable kenaf fibre in large quantities.
The kenaf plant is composed of multiple useful components (e.g. stalks, leaves, and seeds) and within each of these plant components there are various usable portions (e.g. fibres and fibre strands, proteins, oils, and allelopathic chemicals). What can’t be harvested can be used as Biomass fuel and fertilizer
Exciting New Technologies
In the past kenaf fibre production has been limited by the manual processing required to extract the fibres once the kenaf crop has been grown and harvested and the non-sustainable method of retting the fibres in rivers. New methods are now becoming available to process kenaf in volume providing a distinct advantage over existing processes, taking them to a new economical viability.
Green Planets and our partners intention is not to compete with other existing kenaf producers or processors, but to enlarge the industry and provide new opportunities for kenaf fibres. In most of the countries chosen, there are existing kenaf customers, we aim to enhance those relationships and the export routes for kenaf to developed nations. While at the same time create locally-owned hubs of agricultural excellence, kenaf business and community social support for the growers.
To find out more and how you can assist us, please contact us at www.kenaf@greenplanet.com
Kenaf is a crop of importance – to a world in need of it
Each year, countless marine animals and sea birds are endangered by the flow of trash into our oceans. The fact is, Sea turtles are entangled and choked by plastic and discarded nets. Whales mistake trash bags for food and perish. And, let’s not forget the harmful impact contaminated marine environments have on human beings. Plastic also attracts and concentrates other pollutants from surrounding seawater, posing a contamination risk to those species that then eat it. Scientists are studying the impacts of that contamination on fish and shellfish.
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